The Headband
by Sapadu
Summary: In a time when the Jedi are dying off, the son of the Emperor forms a bond with the future Jedi Princess in a short, sweet moment.


The Headband Dedicated to Paul and Hollace Davids, who created these two wonderful characters, whom have gotten so little attention in the Star Wars community.  
  
Triclops stared down the long, bleak grey hallway of the Jedi temple. His nightmares had started again, but he didn't dare go and ask one of the temple masters for consolation.  
For one thing, they had already shown him generosity that he didn't think they would be allowed to show, letting him hide here, with them. He'd had the opportunity to run away from his 'home' and they were harboring him, so he should be grateful for that, at least, and not cause them anymore trouble.  
For another, the three-eyed boy was more than certain they were already busy enough, unless they were asleep, to be able to deal with the troubles of a disturbed, freakish nine-year-old child, and the legal heir to the throne of the Empire, no less.  
But, maybe he should tell somebody he was at least having nightmares. Maybe it would help the Jedi protect themselves. After all, this was probably the last place that the Jedi existed, and it could be HIM leading the troops of his father's Empire to the temple.  
It was too much for the boy to dwell on.  
"Hiya, Triclops! You're up early today." The cheerful, sing-song voice of Kendalina rang in his ears as he looked up, startled.  
Triclops's eyes were greeted with the sight of two bright grey eyes smiling at him. Kendalina was probably the only person in the whole city who actually talked to him as a person. Maybe because she had been given the task by her Teacher to help him fit in. Probably just so that no bounty hunters would recognize him, but Kendalina had arisen to the task with fervor and determination. She'd even introduced him to his first storybook...  
Triclops reflected, in the few seconds silence between them, how Kendalina had been the person to teach him how to wash his hair, how to do fundamental basics of math, how to read, how to dance, how to think for himself... it really was incredible what he held her responsible for and even more incredible that so much of it was true.  
"Oh, hi Kendalina." He muttered. He knew how terribly annoyed the silver-eyed girl was by his shyness, but he also knew that that's why she talked to him so much; an attempt to break his shell, to get him to open up and interact with others... Triclops wondered if Master Yoda or Master Windu approved of it... or was Kendalina frowned upon by the Jedi Council for it? He'd have to ask her sometime.  
"Why're you up, though? Hmm? Hmm? C'mon, you can tell me..." Kendalina said, bouncing in front of his face, grinning widely. Honestly, how could this girl, two years younger than him (well, one year, technically, until he reached his next birthday), no less, possibly have so much energy at such an ungodly hour of the morning? But, regardless, she always was this way: cheerful, perky, ready to see the good in everyone, and yet, she also had moments of sarcasm, dry wit, and a stubborn argumentative streak that some politicians couldn't have beat. That was what Triclops really admired: she was sweet, yes, but she wasn't perfect, and she didn't even try, or pretend to be, in fact, she embraced her imperfection and used it to make herself more interesting.  
"I had a nightmare. You?" Triclops didn't have much experience in making conversation or in manners, but he did know that when someone asks you a question like that, it was customary to ask the same of the person who asked you. Kendalina's brow creased in a frown.  
"I get up at this time EVERY day." Kendalina replied, looking confused that Triclops didn't know that about her. Understandable, seeing as how the only person in the Jedi Temple who knew more about Kendalina than himself was her Teacher, Megan Retaw. Triclops resisted the urge to fall over. EVERY DAY!? How DID Kendalina manage to be cheerful if she woke up at this hour every morning!?  
"Well, it's all just as well- I was coming to see you anyway, but I didn't know if you'd be up." Kendalina shrugged. Triclops blushed. It was quite flattering for Kendalina to be so straightforward. He'd never seen her be blunt with Master Kenobi or Master Windu. Master Yoda, maybe, but he had a feeling it was because she had to kneel to see him on the same height level that gave her courage.  
Triclops was no fool, nor did Kendalina keep secrets from him. He knew how badly her father had treated her, so it came as no shock that she was timid around the grown men in the temple. He thought it quite a compliment that she trusted him enough to have a spine when speaking to him, instead of cringing, as though expecting to be hit...  
And she had come to see him... it was almost as though fate was trying to say something... not that Triclops believed in something as stupid as fate.... Kendalina didn't believe in it either.  
"You... you were coming to see... me?" Triclops stammered, his face now a shade of crimson that had previously never been recorded.  
"Yep. It's a very special day, today. Do YOU know what day it is?" Kendalina asked, her grin now with a mischievous tinge in it (not to mention reaching a level that HAD to be making her cheeks hurt.) Triclops frowned, pondering.  
"It can't be your birthday, because that was twelve days ago... I don't think it's any holiday of any sort, because the Jedi don't really celebrate those, anyhow... unless it's the birthday of one of the Jedi Masters, I don't know." Triclops concluded, now feeling very thoroughly perplexed. Kendalina's grin was beginning to look strained; she was beginning to feel panicked, Triclops could tell that much, even if he wasn't as in tune with the Force as she was.  
"Triclops... haven't you ever celebrated YOUR birthday?" She asked, her smile fading into a mildly upset and pitying expression. Triclops started, thought, and understood what she meant.  
"How'd you find out when my birthday was? I didn't even know it was today." Triclops pondered. With good reason, too. Weren't birthdays when the people around you showed that they were happy you were with them? His father had obviously never been happy for his existence; he wouldn't have been banished if his father appreciated him.  
But then he never would have met the girl before him...  
"Mathematics. But that's beside the point. The point, is that I've got a birthday present for you." Kendalina said, sunny smile back in place across her lips. Triclops blushed again.  
Before even waiting for a reply, Kendalina seized the black material that looped her forehead, pulled it off, and placed the headband in Triclops's hands.  
"But... but you love this thing. Your headband...." Triclops stammered. Kendalina interrupted him.  
"You've got long hair. You'll need something to hold it back, and besides, you seemed to like it. Anyhoo, Master Yoda asked to see me, so I gotta get going. I'll see you at breakfast, so have fun 'till then." And the girl with silver eyes turned and ran off, the braid of coffee brown hair she'd made on the side of her head bouncing as she jogged away.  
Triclops was still in shock, staring at the headband in his hands. Slowly, so slowly it seemed to take an eternity, he lifted the piece of material. So simple, so plain, so... well, to him, maybe not, but he knew others would have considered it 'cheap'... it held so much more than as just a simple headdress to hold back one's hair for him. It was yet another gift from the girl who had given him his life back. It was a little ornament that she herself had treasured dearly and was now giving to him despite how precious it was to her, so he could treasure it anew. It carried her scent of clean ground after a rainfall, roses, and something that was just a Kendalina smell. It carried the very shape of her forehead...  
The young mutant raised the black band to his nose and breathed in the scent of Kendalina that still lingered upon it's fibers, letting the flavor of the smell fill his entire being. Entrancing, addictive, maybe even intoxicating. It was almost as though he could feel her heart inside his chest as he raised the band to pin his long hair to his head. The first gift he'd ever received... he promised that he would always hold onto it... no matter what happened.  
  
~Owari~  
  
So... Like it? Hate it? I've got an on-going series about these two, so if you want to read that, review! 


End file.
